To the End's of the Earth
by Sadainea
Summary: Hermione confesses her feelings to Minerva, the day of graduation. What happens when Minerva writes it all off as a simple teenage crush?
1. Chapter 1

She had done it. She had confessed to Minerva McGonagall that she was in love with her. It was the end of her final year at Hogwarts and they were just getting ready to board the train to return home. Graduation was over and everyone stood on the platform. Hermione stood in front of the woman who held her heart and told her exactly how she felt. A crush, she had said. 4 years of harboring these feelings and fighting, tooth and nail, to keep them secret and it was brushed away as a simple childhood crush.

Hermione cried. For almost 2 months afterward she didn't do anything but sit in her dark house and cry. She didn't go anywhere, didn't see anyone. Until finally she looked at herself in the mirror, she hated what she saw. She was Hermione Granger, the brains of the Golden Trio. She had faced down Voldemort himself, the most evil wizard of the time, and come out alive. How could she let herself fall this low simply because someone told her no? No, no she was done being pathetic. She was done feeling sorry for herself. It was time to move on. Glancing around her parents' house, they had decided that while they weren't angry with her for wiping their memories, they were going to stay in Australia; she decided it was time for a change. She couldn't stay here. Minerva had been here and, while she was determined to move on, she couldn't face the memories of seeing the older witch in her house.

She would travel. Her parents sent her money every month until she could find a job. Being dentists down under must be going well because they were sending a rather large amount. She never really used any of it though so it just sat in the bank collecting interest. Tack that on to the huge cash award that had been given to her when she received her Order of Merlin First Class for her efforts during the war she had plenty to live and travel on.

With a wave of her wand all of her belongings began to shrink and vanished into a trunk in the corner. Before she left she would have to see Ginny. She owed, at least her, an explanation. They had been friends for too many years for her to just skip town and not tell her she was leaving. So with all of her things safely stowed in her luggage and shrunk down into her pocket she walked to the door. Turning one last time she looked around at her family home one last time, before closing and locking the door, possibly forever.

"A CRUSH, GIN! SHE WROTE IT ALL OFF AS A CRUSH!" Hermione was finally venting everything that she was feeling to her friend. She had met the girl at a park near her home and the two of them had begun talking. Or well, Hermione had started screaming and Ginny was listening.

"Hermione I'm barely following you, love. How about this? Just let me see the memory and then we will talk ok?" Ginny said.

"Fine." Hermione slumped down on the swing next to Ginny's and closed her eyes. She felt the first touches on her mind and was suddenly dragged back to that day on the platform.

_"Professor, may I have a word?" Hermione asked as she walked towards McGonagall._

_ "Of course Ms. Granger. What can I help you with?" Minerva looked down at the young woman in front of her._

_ "I really have no idea how to tell you this so I am going to just say it. I am in love with you." Hermione held her gaze. Her pride wouldn't let her turn away._

_ "Ms. Granger, Hermione, listen to me. It is completely normal for someone your age to develop a crush on-" at that word Hermione cut her off._

_ "A crush? Minerva this isn't a crush. I love you, as in I want to spend the rest of my life with you." Hermione was hurt at those words._

_ "I doubt that, my dear. This is no more than a school child attraction. It will pass." McGonagall's hand landed on her shoulder but Hermione slapped it away._

_ "I can't believe you! 4 years! I have spent FOUR YEARS! Hiding this so you wouldn't get sacked, Keeping it secret to protect you from the ministry, so that they wouldn't think you were blackmailing me. I spent the last FOUR YEARS! Doing my best at everything trying to get you to notice that I exist, four years trying to get you to love me back," Hermione's voice had quieted to almost a whisper and she no longer had the strength to look the professor in the eyes, "Four years of my life spent protecting you from everything I could, from Bellatrix when she demanded and asked about you when she tortured me," Hermione looked back at Minerva, "I spent two days crying in your rooms when you were sent to St. Mungos fifth year. Don't ask how I got in, it's not a story I want to tell. After that I spent months trying to find spells and charms that would keep that from happening again. I dreamed of you every night that we were on the run, dreamed of telling you everything that had happened to us. It was my dreams of you that kept me sane throughout the entire ordeal, especially after the events at Malfoy Manor. After all that, after everything I have tried, you have the nerve to write this off as a school girl crush? How dare you? HOW DARE YOU!?" Hermione turned and ran from the platform, apparating away as she went, leaving a stunned Minerva McGonagall in her wake._

Ginny looked at the, angry, heartbroken girl sitting next to her. "So what are you going to do about it?"

"I am leaving. I am not staying here anymore. It's time to get away for a while. It's time to get over her, and I won't be able to do that here." Hermione answered, she looked at her best friend and the redhead could see in her eyes that there was no point in arguing with her.

"Well, I guess I will see you around then. If you don't write to me I swear I will hunt you down and tear you apart, got it? Oh and you better be at my wedding and there when I have kids, or Dumbledore himself wouldn't be able to save you if he were still around." Ginny stood up and hugged her friend. "When do you leave?"

"As soon as our conversation is over. I'm going to the States first, probably New York City. Do me a favor Gin. Keep an eye on her, don't let her do anything stupid. Keep her safe, for me. I will see you around." With a returned hug, a pained smile, and a loud crack, Hermione was gone.


	2. Chapter 2

_Four Years Later_

"Isabella I don't want to go to a Transfiguration conference." Hermione was laughing as her best friend slug her arms around her waist as they walked down the street in Rio de Janeiro , causing her to do a sort of wide duck waddle behind her. Rio had been their home for the last few months. They never spent more than 6 months in any one place, so they never really acquired much by way of furniture or clothes or trinkets that they had to move. When Hermione had met the girl in New York City after only her first 3 days there they had hit it off amazingly. They had been inseparable during her time in the states. To an outsider's view they might have been seen as a couple, but they weren't although they had slept together on more than one occasion it was always after way too much to drink at one party or another. That was until Hermione had to her that she would be leaving soon. Isabella had avoided her for almost a week after that, but showed up at her apartment one afternoon to announce that she was going with her. They had free-fallen their way through America and South America after that and had the time of their lives doing it.

"Come on Mia, it'll be fun. We can sit in the back and make faces at the speakers and see how long it takes to get thrown out." Izzy was laughing too.

"Yes, but it's transfiguration Izz. What if she is there?" Hermione still after four years did not have any desire to see Minerva bloody McGonagall.

"You can't live your life in fear of running into her Mia. Besides, I will be there and if she tries anything I will just kiss you and we can leave." Many times over, had the two women covered for each other when someone flirted too much. Hermione distinctly remembered one individual at a club that wouldn't leave Isabella alone until she had strode across the dance floor, after a few too many glasses of liquid courage, and grabbed her best friend into a prolonged lip lock. The look on the man's face had been priceless and that had been the first drunken shag between them.

"Your right, but that doesn't mean I have to openly seek her out or put myself into a position where she might be." The British witch countered.

"Oh but think about it. We can show up in shorts and bikini tops under mesh shirts and knee high boots and if she is there we can see what she think about turning you down, huh? Please? Please please PLEASE!" The darker skinned woman squeezed her around the waist.

"Oh, FINE! But, if this goes wrong I will kick you from here back to New York." Hermione laughed and turned in the circle of her friend's arms to hug her back.

"That doesn't seem like a fitting punishment for what you are getting yourself into, Little Gryffindor. Personally I'd hang her by her thumbs in my dungeon."

Hermione froze. Only one person ever used that nickname, the only one who knew it, the one who gave it to her. Turning she saw Severus Snape standing in front of them and with a scream of "Uncle Sev!" launched herself at the potions master. They had become excellent friends after the war, when she had saved him from dying that night and he had dropped his greasy git persona. He was actually a decent man beneath that mask.

Severus caught her and hugged her. "So this is where you have been hiding?" He was upset that she hadn't kept in contact with him in the last four years. He was angry that she hadn't kept in contact with anyone from Britain in the last four years. "Why did you never send me a letter."

"Well no, I haven't been hiding in Rio. I went to New York first. That's where I met Izz, after that she and I floated through America some and filtered down through South America. This is just our latest stop. We are leaving here soon anyway. And I haven't kept in contact with anyone from Britain. Well except Ginny every once in a while. Mostly just checking on things and seeing how I am doing and how the baby is." Hermione explained. "What are you doing in Rio?"

Severus held up a bag. "Potions ingredients."

"Ah. So I take it you are on your way back then?"

At Hermione's crest fallen look the potions master pulled her in for another hug and whispered into her hair, "I can stay for another day, Little Gryffindor."

This delighted the younger girl to no end. As much as she was looking to avoid her old life, there were certain people she did miss from time to time. Severus being on that she missed a lot more than anyone else.

Isabella took that moment to step up and introduce herself. The two shook hands and the two women continued on their way back to their apartment with Severus in tow. "So when is this conference that you are dragging me too?"

"The end of the month. So I figure that gives us more than plenty of time to pack before and then get the heck out of dodge after. All we need to figure out is where to go."

"We can play a game of blind map darts when we get home and see what that comes up with. No cheating this time though. No magic, luck only." Hermione poked the girl in the ribs.

"You mean you don't plan where you are going? You just throw darts at a map and go where it says?" Severus was shocked at this. The Hermione he knew always planned everything out to the last detail. She never did anything on a whim. Apparently that had changed.

"Pretty much. We don't own any furniture, or many clothes, and whatever doesn't fit in our bags without magic, fits with magic. So we just pack up and leave whenever we get too bored with one place. We have been here in Rio for, what is it 4 months now?"

"Yeah, give or take a week or so." Isabella answered.

"Interesting." Severus was working out a plan, and if what he was hearing was true, he didn't have much time to see it through.


	3. Chapter 3

"I don't know Albus, why would I want to go to a conference half way across the globe. I usually never accept invitations to talk at these things. No one ever really listens to what I say." Minerva McGonagall was sitting across from Albus Dumbledore. She was currently winning a chess game.

"That's not true. I seem to remember one young woman that hung on your every word. Yet you didn't seem all that interested in her. Really my dear you should make up your mind. Do you want people to pay attention or not?" Albus moved his bishop and popped one of his candies into his mouth.

"Oh, not tonight. You know that I have been looking for her but every time it seems I am getting close the trail goes cold. She hasn't left my mind since she told me she loves me. Besides, after four years, I doubt the girl's feelings haven't changed." Minerva put her face in her hands. For four years Hermione had been haunting her thoughts and dreams. It was as if the younger woman's confession had opened up a tap on her own emotions that she hadn't known was shut off. All of a sudden she found herself perking up to listen whenever Hermione's name was mentioned, or trailing her fingers over pictures of the girl in the books that had been written about the 'Golden Trio'. She missed her desperately and wished to whatever deity could hear that she would get some clue, soon, as to the woman's whereabouts. Or at least some clue that she was alive.

Severus chose that moment to walk into Albus's office, carrying a sleeping potion for the older man. Most the staff knew that the headmaster was prone to nightmares. No one dared to speak about the potions he took to avoid them, knowing that after what he had been through, he, of all of them, had earned the reprieve.

"Ah, Severus. I take it your time in Brazil was fruitful then?" Albus asked looking up from the game.

"Indeed it was Headmaster. I ran into an old friend while I was there. She always cooks a delicious meal." Albus downed his potion. It would take a while for it to kick in, while not as strong as dreamless sleep it was still effective.

"Ah, anyone I know?" The trickster asked.

"Indeed it is. A former pupil." Minerva's neck almost broke as her head shot up from her hands to stare at Severus, who merely nodded at her.

"You found her?" It was barely a whisper that left the woman's throat. "You found Hermione?"

"It seems my Little Gryffindor has taken up residence in Rio De Janeiro. For now. She has plans to move soon. To where I don't know so if you want to talk to her you need to accept the invitation sitting in front of you. She is moving again after that conference."

"Again?" Minerva was hanging on Severus's words, absorbing all of them as if they were water from the fountain of youth.

"Apparently she has been a nomad, for lack of a better term. She never spends more than 6 months in any one place; she has only been in Brazil for 4. She started in New York City, and then she and Isabella left there and went to California, then Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Mexico, Panama, Argentina, Chile, and finally ended up in Rio. They won't be there for long though so I suggest you hurry." With that he stood and left. Minerva looked at Albus, shock written all over her features.

"All those places in such a short amount of time," she whispered.

"It would appear that your lion cub didn't want you to find her," he answered.

Minerva knocked over her king and forfeited their game. "I have a conference to get ready for my old friend. If what Severus has said is true then I only have a week to figure out how I am going to convince her to come home. He mentioned someone else though. Isabella, I need to find out who she is to her." the older woman left the room a plan of attack formulating in her mind. As she made her way to her quarters she ran into a very pregnant Professor Potter. Ginny had become one of the staff soon after she had graduated. "Professor Potter, how are you doing?"

"I'm well Professor, thank you for asking. I feel as though I am going to pop though." Ginny giggled slightly. As they spoke about Harry and her pregnancy an owl flew through the open window next to them. "Hello Bandit." Ginny greeted the owl as if it was an old friend and Minerva immediately knew whose owl that was. Hermione had gotten that owl shortly after leaving her cat in Australia with her mother. In his old age it was where he preferred to stay.

"So," she said nonchalantly. Ginny dismissed the owl to her rooms. "Albus seems to think I should keep looking for Hermione. I think he is full of it. No one has heard from her in years."

"I wouldn't give up Minerva, I think she is just being stubborn, kinda reminds me of someone I work with." Ginny grinned at her. "Anyway, I need to get back and finish my grading, goodnight." Ginny walked away from the older witch.

So Ginerva had known all along where Hermione was. Had known and hadn't said anything to anyone. Not even her husband knew where his former best friend was. Former because he and Ron had both written Hermione off as dead when the searches hadn't turned up anything. Now Minerva, Albus, and Severus all knew where she was. _For now,_ a voice whispered in her mind, _you have one shot at this, or she disappears again and you may never find her._ Not a chance of that. She was going to win Hermione over, come hell or high water.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N – The bold italics are speaking in Portuguese. I know I could just translate it on Google, but its important to understand what is being said.

A few days later Hermione received a letter from Ginny.

_SHE asked about you again today. I swear that's the 3__rd__ time this week. I am due on the 28__th__ of next month and if you aren't there I will personally track you down. Let me know where you are headed next so that I can keep you updated on the goings on around here._

_Love you!_

_Gin_

Such was the nature of most of their conversations. They were always short and to the point and she always let Hermione know what Minerva was up to and how she was doing. She stayed true to her word and kept a close eye on the older professor. She missed her friend but if she was honest, missing her wasn't enough to make her go back to Britain. Not when that would mean having to face HER again. It wasn't worth the humiliation. Her reply was just as simple.

_Gin,_

_You know I will be there. Can you get Harry's cloak like you did for the wedding? I don't mind being there but I'm not interested in any of them knowing I'm there. _Her _especially. I'll see you soon._

_Love you too,_

_Hermione_

The day of the conference rolled around and, just as they said they would, the 2 girls should up dressed in mesh shirts with black bras underneath, extremely short denim shorts, and knee high black boots. They sat in the back of the room. Hermione had brought a notebook and pencil with her to take notes while her friend made faces for her. When they had walked in they had been handed programs for the event. When Hermione scanned the names of the speakers, her eyes fell and stuck on one. _Minerva McGonagall. _

"Isabella I'm going to kill you." She was furious.

"I know, but don't worry I have a plan," Came the innocent reply.

"I should hope so. If this goes wrong I swear I will only get a one room apartment when we get to Cairo and you can sleep on the couch."

The conference went smoothly. Minerva was the last to speak and when she took the stage, Isabella shifted over in her seat and slung her arm around Hermione's shoulders. Hermione leaned into her and rested her head in the crook of the dark haired woman's neck. Tears slipped silently down her face as all of the memories of that awful day sped through her mind, like a movie in fast forward. She listened to the older witch's voice as it slowly washed over her.

When she paused in the middle of a statement and didn't immediately start back up, Hermione raised her head. Minerva was staring right at her and Isabella, as she began to speak again, jealousy written all over her face as Izz leaned over and delivered several small kisses to her neck and the underside of her jaw. "Let's get out of here, Mia." She whispered. "You were right this was a stupid idea and I'm sorry. Let's just get home and finish packing and leave for Egypt early, ok?" Hermione managed a small nod and stood, just as Minerva finished her lecture. They made their way out of the conference hall, and back to the small apartment they shared.

As they entered Izz flopped down on the small couch and whipped from underneath it a large, unopened, bottle of whiskey which she promptly threw at Hermione. "So, you just saw the love of your life and she looked like she wanted to hex me into about a billion pieces when I kissed you. What are you going to do now?" the dark skinned woman imitated the voice of a television announcer as she said this.

"I am going to get completely sloshed, cry til my heart falls out my mouth, have pure unadulterated sex with my best friend, then wake up in the morning with a nasty hang over and move the fuck on." The brunette responded taking a very large swig from the bottle in her hand.

"Well if that's the way we are playing, then you had better be sharing that bottle." Izzy reached over and snatched the whiskey from her hand and took a long pull from it herself. It was after about her 7th drink that Hermione finally broke into gut wrenching sobs. Isabella who had been slower on the drinks for this very reason reached out and pulled her best friend into a tight embrace. She tucked the brunette under her arm and simply held her, knowing from experience that this was the best way to help her friend.

While Hermione cried Izzy continued to drink, so by the time the heartbroken witch's tears dried up they were both completely and totally plastered. With another long pull from the bottle each Hermione looked Isabella in the eye. The brunette straddled her best friend and leaned in. The other reached up and tangled her dark fingers in the chocolate curls in front of her and hissed when instead of being kissed she felt teeth being dragged across the sensitive skin just behind her ear. Their bodies were already over warm from the alcohol and it didn't take much to get them both so aroused they were begging each other. Hermione dragged Isabella off the couch and the woman shoved her against the nearest wall. Her hands fisted in the British witch's shirt and tore it from her body. Even in her drunken haze she knew that her friend didn't want gentle and slow. She needed to feel something. Much like the first time they had been together. Quickly flicking open her front clasp bra she latched on to her nipple a bit down.

When she felt fingers digging in her hair pulling her closer, she grabbed both the other woman's wrists and pinned them above her head. Hermione arched against her in response. "Please, Izzy… I need…"

"Shhh…I know what you need, love." Their speech was slurred but perfectly understandable to each other. Keeping her hands pinned Izz dragged her fingers down over the quivering stomach of her captive. "Let's take this to my bedroom." Pulling her belt from her attire she wrapped the leather around Hermione's wrists and fed it through the buckle, creating a tight bind on the brunette. Then, using the length as a leash, she led her friend into the bedroom. Both stumbled slightly and were more than slightly loopy. Pushing her down on the bed, Isabella tied the belt off to the wrought iron head board, and slithered her way down to Hermione's breasts.  
_

Minerva wandered through the lines of apartments, her nose to the ground following the scent of the young witch she had spent years searching for. It was nearly 3 in the morning. She had spent the last 4 days searching for Hermione Granger. She heard laughter ahead, a beautiful sound that Minerva hadn't heard since Hermione's disappearance. Rounding a corner she came across the young woman leaning against a wall. Several people stood with her, including the woman from the conference. Jealousy filled Minerva, though she knew she had no right to be. She watched as the dark skinned woman wrapped the brunette in a tight hug. The group was speaking rapidly in Portuguese.

Hermione turned toward the older woman, intending to speak to the person directly next to her, and saw the tabby standing there. She froze. Then turned to the other woman again. Though Minerva didn't understand what was being said, she understood the meaning behind them. She was asking questions, desperate questions. The dark woman was answering her calmly and firmly. The tabby sat down to await the answers to those questions.

"_**Izzy, she's here. What do I do? What can I say to her after everything?" **_ Hermione was panicking.

"_**What do you want to do love? I'm not going to stop you from pursuing her if that's what you think. If not then we are leaving tomorrow anyway and you never have to see her again." **_ Isabella wrapped her arm around her friend and squeezed her shoulders.

"_**But why would she come here? Why would she come after me?" **_

"_**Probably because she loves you too. Think about it Mia. You were her student. How could she condone being with you. Then you left and she hasn't seen you since. She realizes what she is missing. She doesn't want to let you go again." **_Isabella reasoned with her friend.

"_**Izzy you're not…you're not in love with me, are you? We are just friends right?"**_

"_**Girl I love you, you are a demon in the sack, and you are my best friend, but no, I am not in love with you. But you are going to have to decide what to do about her soon. We leave in the morning." **_

"_**Ok. I need to talk to her first. Then I will decide." **_ Hermione pulled away from her friend and walked towards the tabby that still sat waiting for her decision.


End file.
